Charley's Black Magic

Content warning:

Contains racist characterisation (blackface)

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Charley's Black Magic

1 Jan 1949
Sound
8m

Cartoon propaganda short sweetens the pill of postwar coal prices by promising jam tomorrow.

With coal prices rising and harsh winters in recent memory, postwar Britain was understandably grumpy. The irascible Charley featured in a series of cartoon propaganda shorts communicating many new policies of Clement Atlee's Labour government, which promised a brighter future ahead. Charley was always quickly turned around with the promise of better days ahead, but postwar austerity was still a bitter pill for many to swallow.

But the film is marred by the grossly racist caricature that serves as Charley's guide and teacher: a crass representation of the spirit of coal that is very clearly inspired by 'blackface' minstrel performances. The offence is compounded by the character repeatedly addressing Charley as 'master'. The film is included here not just as a record of its subject, but as evidence that this kind of racist characterisation was not uncommon even in official filmmaking at this time - and for long after.

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Halas & Batchelor

Celebrating the vital and varied work of the pioneering British animation studio

Halas & Batchelor Cartoon Films were a defining force in British animation for more than five decades. Founded in 1940 by the Hungarian-born John Halas and Watford-born Joy Batchelor, the company progressed from producing cinema advertisements to creating vital public information films during and after the Second World War, before producing Britain's first animated feature film, Animal Farm, in 1954.

Whether working in advertising, children's television or independent short films, Halas and Batchelor championed animation as both a commercial enterprise and an art form. Though more than the story of John and Joy, their vision, advocacy and innovation helped shape the careers of generations of artists and practitioners, while bringing a broad range animated storytelling to audiences on screens both large and small.